JP2017003620A - Array type optical device and optical fiber connection component - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an array type optical device and an optical fiber connection component capable of ensuring a maximum value of optical coupling efficiency after an array type optical device module is assembled.SOLUTION: In an array type optical device 102, which is optically coupled with an optical fiber array or another array type optical device, includes: two actuators 103a and 103b each of which is constituted of a piezo electric element and disposed perpendicular to the optical axis of optical elements 102a to 102d of the array type optical device, and each of which fixes the array type optical device to a support base 101 at both ends in an array direction of the optical elements.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to an array type optical device and an optical fiber connecting component, and more specifically, an array type optical device capable of maintaining the maximum value of optical coupling efficiency even after both are assembled into an array type optical device module, and The present invention relates to an optical fiber connecting component.

  In an optical fiber communication system using an optical fiber, a large-capacity communication using a broadband property of light is realized. Higher-capacity communication is realized by wavelength multiplexing communication in which light of a plurality of wavelengths is multiplexed and transmitted on one optical fiber. In wavelength division multiplexing communication, an array type optical device such as an arrayed waveguide grating is used to multiplex and demultiplex a plurality of wavelengths of light. Further, attention is also focused on array type optical devices such as a laser array that emits a plurality of lights and a photodiode array that receives a plurality of lights.

  Light emitted from the array type device is emitted through an optical fiber array and a microlens array, and is optically coupled to the optical fiber. Incident light to the array type device is also incident from the optical fiber via the optical fiber array and the microlens array. Thus, an array type optical device module in which an optical fiber array and an array type optical device are optically coupled is used. For example, Patent Document 1 shows an example of a method for fixing an optical fiber array to a support base for optically coupling light emitted from a semiconductor laser array.

JP 2005-17518 A

  FIG. 1 shows a method of optical coupling between a conventional optical fiber array and an array type optical device. 1A is a side view and FIG. 1B is a top view. The optical axis A of the semiconductor laser array, which is the array type optical device 12 fixed to the support base 11, and the optical axis A ′ of the optical fiber array 22 fixed to the optical fiber connection component 21 are aligned and welded together. Fix with adhesive. For example, the support base 11 is fixed, and the optical fiber connection component 21 is fixed to a jig for optical alignment. The jig is moved in the z-axis direction, and the end face of the semiconductor laser array of the array type optical device 12 and the end face of the optical fiber array 22 are brought into contact with each other. Thereafter, the jig is moved in the x-axis and y-axis directions while monitoring the light emitted from the semiconductor laser array at the other end of the optical fiber array 22. The array type optical device 12 and the optical fiber connection component 21 are fixed at a position where the light intensity of the emitted light being monitored is maximized.

  However, welding and adhesive are used to fix the support, but the optical coupling efficiency after assembling the array type optical device module due to misalignment and changes over time is the optical coupling efficiency during optical alignment. Lower than. This phenomenon is remarkable in an optical device having a small optical coupling tolerance in the direction perpendicular to the semiconductor substrate, that is, in the xy plane, such as a semiconductor laser or an edge-incident type photodiode.

  For example, in addition to the optical axis misalignment in the vertical direction (y-axis direction) due to the deterioration of the adhesive, the twist between the two support bases, that is, the misalignment in the rotational direction in the xy plane also causes a decrease in optical coupling efficiency. . As a result, optical coupling between the optical fiber array and the array type optical device has a problem that it is difficult to maintain the maximum value of the optical coupling efficiency even after the array type optical device module is assembled.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an array type optical device and an optical fiber connecting component that can maintain the maximum value of the optical coupling efficiency even after the array type optical device module is assembled.

  In order to achieve such an object, the present invention provides an actuator comprising a piezoelectric element in an array type optical device optically coupled to an optical fiber array or other array type optical device. In addition, two actuators that are perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical element of the array-type optical device and that fix the array-type optical device to a support base at both ends in the array direction of the optical element are provided. And

  The second embodiment is an actuator comprising a piezoelectric element in an optical fiber connecting part for fixing an optical fiber array optically coupled to an array type optical device, wherein the optical fiber light of the optical fiber array Two actuators that are perpendicular to the axis and fix the optical fiber array to a support base at both ends of the optical fiber in the array direction are provided.

  As described above, according to the present invention, since the optical axis shift between the array type optical device and the optical fiber array can be corrected even after the array type optical device module is assembled, the optical coupling efficiency is improved. The maximum value of can be kept.

  Further, on the premise that the optical axis is corrected after the assembly of the array type optical device module, it is possible to simplify the optical alignment when assembling the array type optical device module and to shorten the manufacturing time.

It is a figure which shows the method of the optical coupling of the conventional optical fiber array and an array type optical device. It is a figure which shows the method of the optical coupling of the optical fiber array and array type optical device concerning the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the array type optical device concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the array type optical device concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the method of the optical coupling of the optical fiber array and array type optical device concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, a fine adjustment mechanism for the vertical direction and rotation is provided on at least one of the connection part of the optical fiber array or the support base of the array type optical device. The present embodiment has a configuration in which the position can be corrected by a fine adjustment mechanism so that the optical coupling efficiency is maximized with respect to the displacement of a minute position after assembling the array type optical device module.

  FIG. 2 shows a method of optical coupling between the optical fiber array and the array type optical device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 2A is a side view, and FIG. 2B is a top view. The array type optical device 102 is a photodiode array, and four end face incident type photodiodes 102a to 102d that receive light from the front end face are housed therein. The array-type optical device 102 is fixed to a support base 101 via actuators 103a and 103b at both ends in the photodiode array direction (x-axis direction) perpendicular to the optical axis A of the photodiode (optical element). Yes.

  The actuators 103a and 103b are piezoelectric actuators using piezoelectric elements, and are elements that expand in the application direction when a voltage is applied, as shown in FIG. The piezoelectric element used in the first embodiment expands by about 10 μm in the application direction when a voltage of 150 V is applied.

  When assembling the array type optical device module, the support base 101 is fixed, 75V is applied to the piezoelectric elements of the actuators 103a and 103b, and the height is set to about 5 μm. The optical fiber connection component 21 to which the optical fiber array 22 is fixed is fixed to a jig for optical alignment, the jig is moved in the z-axis direction, the end face of the photodiode of the array type optical device 102 and the optical fiber array 22. Butt the end face. Thereafter, monitor light is incident from the other end of the optical fiber array 22, and the jig is moved in the x-axis and y-axis directions while monitoring the incident light from the optical fiber array 22 with a photodiode array. The array type optical device 102 and the optical fiber connection component 21 are fixed by welding or an adhesive at a position where the light intensity of the incident light to be monitored becomes maximum.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the array type optical device according to the first embodiment. When an optical axis shift occurs in the vertical direction (y-axis direction) after assembling the array type optical device module, by applying a voltage of 75 V or more to both the piezoelectric elements of the actuators 103a and 103b at the same time, Alternatively, the optical axis can be corrected downward by applying a voltage of 75 V or less.

  FIG. 4 shows a case where an optical axis shift occurs in the rotational direction in the xy plane after the array type optical device module is assembled. By applying a voltage of 75V or more to the piezoelectric element of the actuator 103a and applying a voltage of 75V or less to the piezoelectric element of the actuator 103b, the optical axis can be corrected in the counterclockwise (left-rotation) direction (FIG. 4). reference). On the other hand, by applying a voltage of 75V or less to the piezoelectric element of the actuator 103a and applying a voltage of 75V or more to the piezoelectric element of the actuator 103b, the optical axis in the clockwise (right rotation) direction can be corrected.

  FIG. 5 shows a method of optical coupling between an optical fiber array and an array type optical device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The array type optical device 12 is a semiconductor laser array (optical element), and four semiconductor lasers are stored therein. The optical fiber array 122 is fixed to the optical fiber connecting part 121 and is attached to the support base 124 via the actuator 123 at both ends in the optical fiber array direction (x-axis direction) perpendicular to the optical axis A ′ of the optical fiber. It is fixed. The actuator 123 is a piezoelectric actuator using the same piezoelectric element as in the first embodiment.

  When assembling the array type optical device module, the support base 11 is fixed, and the support base 124 is fixed to a jig for optical alignment. 75V is applied to the piezoelectric element of the actuator 123 and the height is set to about 5 μm. The jig is moved in the z-axis direction so that the end face of the semiconductor laser array of the array type optical device 12 and the end face of the optical fiber array 122 are brought into contact with each other. Thereafter, the jig is moved in the x-axis and y-axis directions while monitoring the emitted light of the semiconductor laser array at the other end of the optical fiber array 122. Both are fixed by welding or an adhesive at a position where the light intensity of the emitted light being monitored becomes maximum.

  Note that both the optical fiber array and the array type optical device may be fixed to a support base via an actuator, and the voltage of one or both of the piezoelectric elements may be controlled.

  In this embodiment, a photodiode array and a semiconductor laser array have been described as examples of the array type optical device. However, it is obvious that the present invention can be applied to an optical modulator array, an optical switch array, an optical amplifier array, an optical waveguide array, and the like. . Needless to say, the present invention can be applied not only to optical coupling between the array type optical device and the optical fiber array, but also to coupling between the array type optical devices and between the optical fiber arrays.

11, 101, 124 Support base 12, 102 Array type optical device 21, 121 Optical fiber connection part 22, 122 Optical fiber array 103, 123 Actuator

Claims (3)

In an array type optical device optically coupled to an optical fiber array or other array type optical device,
Two actuators comprising piezoelectric elements, the actuators being perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical element of the array type optical device, and fixing the array type optical device to a support base at both ends in the array direction of the optical element An array type optical device comprising:   2. The array type optical device according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is any one of a photodiode, a semiconductor laser, an optical modulator, an optical switch, an optical amplifier, and an optical waveguide. In an optical fiber connecting part for fixing an optical fiber array optically coupled to an array type optical device,
Two actuators comprising piezoelectric elements, the actuators being perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical fiber of the optical fiber array, and fixing the optical fiber array to a support base at both ends of the optical fiber in the array direction An optical fiber connecting part characterized by that.